Resource Library

The Center on Standards and Assessment Implementation (CSAI) reviews a variety of resources, ranging from guidance documents, research papers, and policy briefs to tools and websites aimed at supporting state and local education agency leadership in making decisions about their standards, assessment programs, and accountability systems. Reviewed resources are added monthly.

PARCC's Score Results site includes a number of resources that provide educators and parents with detailed information about how to use the score reports to identify student needs and align instruction in support of those needs. The following resources primarily target parents and a number of them...

From the authors: "Many states’ science standards are based on guidance documents created by the National Research Council in 1996 that do not reflect the scientific advances and educational research findings that have since occurred. Among options for policymakers to consider to update existing...

From the Publisher: "This study examines the effects of Obama’s Race to the Top [funding initiative] on education policymaking around the country. The overall findings . . . indicate that Race to the Top had a meaningful impact on the production of education policy across the United States. In its ...

The Assessment Literacy webinar provides guidance for middle and high schools that are attempting to ensure their assessment system is balanced and aligned to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for ELA/Literacy. The webinar focuses on the roles that formative, interim, and summative assessments...

As part of its Common Core State Standards (CCSS) professional learning module series, the California Department of Education, in collaboration with the San Joaquin Valley County Office of Education, has developed an online module focused on the topic of assessment literacy. The resource is...

This article provides an overview of a mathematics program "Strength in Number," which is used by some Wyoming schools that serve large numbers of Native American students. The program exemplifies the type of learning and assessment envisioned in the Common Core State Standards, though it was...

This web page links to a number of guides for parents or guardians to help them read and understand the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) student score reports. It also links to other resources, including parent guides to the Smarter Balanced summative assessments,...

In this short California Schools article, veteran educator Kathy Caric encourages districts and schools to implement effective strategies to inform parents and students about the value of multiple measures when reporting student progress. She notes that the expected low scores on the upcoming...

Supporting research-based decision-making in standards and assessment

WestEd and CRESST, two national leaders in the standards and assessment field, continue their collaboration in providing high-quality research support and technical assistance to states as the Center on Standards and Assessment Implementation (CSAI).

This award is a grant under prime award #S283B050022A between the U.S. Department of Education and WestEd. The findings and opinions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the positions or policies of the U.S. Department of Education. This site and its contents copyright WestEd. All rights reserved.